Literary Criticism Of Hester Prynne

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The character Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is one who is criticized by literary critic D.H. Lawrence. He underscores her flaws and sinful nature, denouncing Hawthorne’s portrayal of Hester as a heroine. In his essay, “On The Scarlet Letter,” Lawrence critiques the way Hester Prynne is depicted through terse syntax, biblical allusions, and a satirical tone. The choppy and abrupt way in which Lawrence arranges his sentences serves as direct jabs at Hester Prynne in order to villainize her with impact and clarity. Rather than phrasing his ideas in lengthy and elaborate sentences, he captures the central point of his statements by utilizing sharp and straightforward expressions. For example, he accentuates certain…show more content…Alpha. Abel, Adam. A” (Lawrence). His writing resembles bullets in that he ‘shoots’ Hester down, as a bullet would do, with his pithy remarks. These single-worded expressions convey that Lawrence seeks to reveal Hester’s true character, different from Hawthorne’s presentation of her. Lawrence expresses an aversion of Hester Prynne as he articulates his evaluation of the character with sharp, emphatic syntax. Further rebuking Hester, he describes Hester’s sinful nature as being “fixed in a lie, adhering to a lie, giving itself perpetually [to] the lie” (Lawrence). Again, through syntax in which he uses parallel, but choppy, sentence structure, Lawrence is able to stress certain parts of his statement, such as the “lie” in which Hester’s sinful nature is perpetuated. Though the sentence itself is not particularly short, the phrases within it are sectioned off into their own parts due to the paralleled construction of the sentence; this creates a sense of choppiness and abruptness, and also…show more content…He mocks Hester through these allusions, juxtaposing her with outside references to legitimize his criticism. Alluding to Virgin Mary, he calls Hester the “image of Divine Maternity” and “sinless Motherhood,” though he is actually suggesting the exact opposite, displaying the irony that is present throughout his argument (Lawrence). Lawrence ridicules Hester by comparing her to a figure who is unanimously known to be pure, “divine,” and “sinless,” though it is clear that thinks otherwise of Hester Prynne. He employs irony in his writing through the use of allusions to amplify his disagreement with Hawthorne’s portrayal of Hester; it is evident, through the ironic allusions, that Lawrence is mocking Hester. Hester is then compared to Abel, as Lawrence explains that “she lives on and is Abel” after Dimmesdale’s death (Lawrence). Here, he magnifies Hester’s masked sinfulness by mockingly classifying her as Abel, the victim of sin, mirroring the way she is portrayed by Hawthorne in the book. Though comparing her to Cain would have made more logical sense, Lawrence explicitly states that Hester is Abel, in order to induce more irony. This ironic allusion and paralleling of Hester and Abel aid in translating his ideas in a way that is counterintuitive in order to reveal her true nature and solidify his views

does not praise the character Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” To him, overall the portrayal of Hester Prynne is a mockery. Lawrence employs a sarcastic tone, repetition, and precise allusion to critique Nathaniel Hawthorne’s vision of Hester Prynne. This method is effective because it allows the reader to focus on Hester Prynne’s sin itself rather than the consequences of her sin.
Lawrence uses a sarcastic tone when writing about Hester Prynne’s character because he

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s protagonist Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter is the subject of many interpretations and perceptions. In his satirical essay, D.H. Lawrence clearly explains his opinions about sin and pure appearances in society, and focuses on those of Hester Prynne. Lawrence uses sarcastic tone, concise syntax, and Biblical allusions to express his disdainful opinions of Hester Prynne.
Lawrence uses a sarcastic tone throughout his critique to mock Hester Prynne and the people who believe that

Lawrence uses numerous literary techniques to effectively critique the character Hester Prynne in his essay On The Scarlet Letter for her sin of adultery in The Scarlet Letter. D.H. Lawrence views Hester Prynne as a lustful shrew who throws herself at Dimmesdale for the sake of tarnishing his purity. He believes her actions speak for all women; every single women is guilty of such sins as Hester is. Lawrence’s essay on Hester achieves its desired effect of smearing Hester’s reputation through repetition

Character Analysis Of Hester Prynne
Throughout all the sinful things Hester Prynne has done, she still managed to obtain good qualities. Hester was an adulterer from the book The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester was looked down upon by the citizens of Boston because of the sin she and another person committed, but no one knew who her partner in crime was because she refused to release his name. Towards the very end of the story Hester’s accomplice confessed and left Hester and Pearl

Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1642 Boston, Massachusetts, Hester Prynne has become a women to be respected. Hester Prynne was a mother of a child who was conceived as to be a “sin”. Pearl, Hester 's child was conceived while Hester 's husband was away.This exposed Hester for committing adultery, therefore that 's how she obtained the “A” for life.The “A” stands for adultery which is the Scarlet Letter .Hester has provided many examples of why she should be respected such as; her integrity

Hester Prynne, Heroine?
Hester Prynne, protagonist of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, can be described as a feminine seductress. D.H. Lawrence paints her as an independent woman who seduces the reader into believing that she is a heroine of a tragedy in his article “On the Scarlet Letter.”. He proves this most effectively through his lauding diction, poetic repetition, and heroic allusions.
Lawrence’s lauding diction makes Hester out to be undeniably unique in beauty, making her stand

In his essay On the Scarlet Letter, D.H. Lawrence explores Nathaniel Hawthorne’s portrayal of Hester Prynne. Lawrence focuses on and condemns Hester’s sin itself rather than its consequences. Instead of supporting Hawthorne's depiction of Hester as an innocent character, Lawrence sheds light on what he believes is her true character, a deceiver. He argues that Hester Prynne has a false appearance of purity through his use of critical diction, sarcastic tone, and biblical allusions.
Lawrence

H. Lawrence depicts Hester Prynne as a seductive but demonic woman who craves the downfall of holy men. Prynne has been a subject of debate since the publication of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter. While some believe she is a tragic heroine, others argue that she is a personification of all things unholy. Hawthorne takes the stance that Hester is a strong and independent heroine, but D.H. Lawrence argues the opposite. Lawrence persuades his audience that Hester is a cynical adulteress

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s wrongful portrayal of Hester Prynne. Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hester is treated as a victim rather than the mortal sinner Lawrence believes her to be. Hester intentionally slept with a man of the highest status, whilst she was married. Lawrence aims to diminish the feeling of sympathy that develops for Hester within the reader, and provides another view of Hester Prynne, the version he believes to be correct. In analyzing Hester Prynne, Lawrence is effective in achieving his

The Tragic Beauty of Antigone and Hester Prynne
When Antigone meets her demise, it symbolizes something beautiful because she finally gets what she has desired, making her the epitome of tragic beauty. Looking at Antigone’s actions, a direct correlation surfaces to Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Ultimately, Antigone and Hester are both tragically beautiful characters due to their sins. Their beauty resonates from within because they stick to what they value, making both